The second season of Laid-Back Camp (also known as YuruCamp) is 13 episodes long. This is a really chilled and relaxing anime that’s focused on a group of girls as they explore the hobby of camping. Just like the first season, it emphasizes the positives and fun of camping, from the different vistas and campsites to the different types of activities, or just having fun by yourself or with the company of good friends. It really inspires you to try out camping for yourself.
The anime focuses on two main characters, being Rin and Nadeshiko. Rin is a quiet girl who in the beginning had preferred to camp by herself, going to new campsites all the time. She did enjoyed camping with friends but also appreciates the different experience that solo camping provides, given the peace and quiet as well as the time to reflect. While Nadeshiko is an energetic girl who loves to eat. She had no experience with camping so had joined the school club, and with some guidance from Rin from time to time, she has gotten into the hobby.
The cast is rounded out by the two other club members, Aoi and Chiaki. They’re good friends and quickly befriends Nadeshiko as well when she had joined. The three of them explores the different types of camping gear together, and works hard to get the money to purchase them (albeit the cheaper versions). Finally, there is Ena, who is Rin’s friend. She isn’t part of the club and isn’t as addicted to camping as the others, but will join and encourage them.
The season starts off with showing us how Rin got into camping, and the novice mistakes she had made as well. Then it moves onto another big focus and that is with the characters making enough money to fund their camping gear, and their camping trips. They’re hardworking, and it really emphasizes what a wholesome anime this is. It’s leaning towards more slice-of-life with a big focus on camping but this isn’t a bad thing. The characters are so supportive and kind to each other, it can actually hurt with how good and wholesome they are.
You might have expected the first season to have gone through all of the combinations and scenarios already, and that it’ll just be the characters going to camping together for all of this season. You’ll be right to a degree, but it still manages to change things up with the characters mixing up in terms of who pairs with who when they go on a trip. This then plays into that’s group experience and gives rise to different types of issues. That is to say, this second season is still as interesting and varied as ever.
The characters branch out further in their camping trips. Thus it’s like a tourist spot documentary, where it shows some awesome destinations with beautiful and unique scenery. It really makes you want to go visit them yourself. This is in addition to the camping tips and tricks. It makes even the simple past times of sitting around and walking look like such fun. The preparation of various camp food is boiled down to be so simple and delicious, that it makes it achievable by even the inexperienced.
The humor throughout the season is done well as it doubles down on what it started back from the first season. Nadeshiko being such an airhead sometimes, especially when her gullibility is taken advantaged of, is hilarious. Although it starts to emphasize certain traits of the characters to the point where it’s their one and only defining trait, which can be detrimental to the character as a whole.
as more of a road trip than a camping trip but it added a different, not unlikeable flavor, to the formula. It’s definitely a bit sad to get to the end of the last episode and realise that you have to say goodbye to the characters.
Overall, the second season of Laid-Back Camp can be said to be even better than the first. It has better animation and it widens its scope. It doesn’t just purely focus on the camping aspect anymore. While it’s still a large focus, there are other things to look forward to and to watch the characters do. It’s a really relaxing and wholesome anime to watch, especially since all the characters are so likeable and it has gained confidence in its own style of humor.
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